


Meeting the Kwantens

by alley_oops, jennandanica



Series: A Breath of Home [45]
Category: Actor RPF, Australian Actor RPF, True Blood RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-23
Updated: 2013-03-23
Packaged: 2017-12-06 06:25:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/732456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alley_oops/pseuds/alley_oops, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennandanica/pseuds/jennandanica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam and Ryan meet at the San Diego Comic Con and hot sex ensues.  In this chapter, Ryan takes Sam home to meet his family.</p><p>
  <i>Quickly Ryan grabs for his beer and takes a large swallow. He's not sure he's seen his lover blush before, ever, and the temptation to just grab Sam and kiss him blind is damn near overwhelming. Concealed by the tablecloth, he slips his free hand down and squeezes Sam's thigh lightly, needing to touch him.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meeting the Kwantens

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone familiar with the RPG Citadel, this is NOT backstory for our pups in the game. In Citadel, Sam is played as the actor and Ryan is played AU as a songwriter. And then a little birdie told us our boys were going to be at SDCC at the same time in real life and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to see what would happen in another world, with the boys both as their actor selves.

"All right, so my mum knows you're coming. I mean, of course she knows you're coming, I told her weeks ago I was bringing a friend with me. But now she knows you're _you_ , also, not just a friend, and she knows you're a man, and that your name is Sam," Ryan says, his eyes on the road as he gets off the highway and takes the turn for his old neighbourhood. If the rapid babble weren't already a good indication of his nerves right now, then the tight clench he's got on the steering wheel would be a dead giveaway. "So I told her I was leaving it to her to tell my dad that I've got a boyfriend, but I spoke to Mitchell and told him myself, and he and his girlfriend totally don't care, although they are curious to meet you, of course. And Lloyd is in Malaysia right now, so I emailed him. It might be a few days before he gets a chance to write back." 

Sam nods, looking out the window, watching the houses go by. It's a nice middle-class neighbourhood, much like the one he grew up in. "Anything else I should know? Anything I shouldn't mention or talk about?"

"Um. Maybe the sado-masochism thing?" Ryan answers, and throws Sam a quick grin.

"Damn. That doesn't leave me with a whole lot, does it?" Sam says, grinning back.

"Yeah... I'd also rather they don't learn that I threw myself at you and then slept with you within hours of us first meeting each other." Ryan sighs, and has to laugh. "Maybe we should just let them do all the talking."

Sam laughs too. "Oh my god." He shakes his head. "I assume we can mention Comic Con and how we met though?"

"Yeah, that part's okay. I mean, that part could be so much worse, you know?" Slowing down, Ryan adds, "Bar, mud wrestling... Cock fighting?" He pulls to the curb in front of a neat two-story house and blows out a breath.

"This is nice," Sam says, peering out the window. He smiles at Ryan, reaching over to give his thigh a gentle squeeze. "You ready?"

A long moment more, and Ryan finally nods. "Yeah," he says, reaching into the backseat to pick up a wrapped box of his mum's favorite gourmet chocolates. "Let's go." He climbs out of the rental car and circles around, giving Sam a grin. "Love you," he whispers, as it suddenly hits him how incredibly grateful he is to have a lover with courage enough to tackle his family.

"Love you too," Sam says, grinning back, his shoulder nudged against Ryan's as they head up the walk.

Ryan tries the door and finds it unlocked in anticipation of their arrival. They enter a brightly lit foyer where the walls are lined with family portraits of him and his brothers throughout their childhood, and they're immediately greeted by the sound of screaming -- which is not an altogether new experience for Sam or himself. This time it's much more welcome, though, and Ryan heads straight for an adorable blond toddler clutching the sofa and wailing with frustration. "Hey, Caleb," Ryan says, cooing at him and settling him on his hip. "This is my nephew," he tells Sam, then calls, "We're here!"

"He's beautiful," Sam says, holding out a hand to Caleb who grabs it and starts twisting his fingers back and forth while grinning toothily up at him.

"Yeah, he's Mitchell's. Like, a year and a half, maybe?" Ryan frowns, trying to remember, but the past year has been kind of a blur. A pretty young blonde woman enters from the kitchen, distracting him, and he gives her a big smile. Even though she screams, too.

"Oh my god, Ryan!" She throws her arms around his neck, and leans up on tip-toe to kiss his cheek. "Finally! You've been gone so long! And who...?" she looks at Sam expectantly, but in an instant her eyes widen and her face drains of color. "Oh, my god."

"Tara," Ryan cuts in, trying to intercept her. "Ta--"

" _Mitch!_ " she screams, which unfortunately sets Caleb off again. "Kris!"

"Oh, god," Ryan groans, and turns his face to hide against Sam's shoulder.

Sam laughs. "I've been made, have I?" he murmurs to Ryan, wrapping his arm around his lover, then smiles at the young woman. "I'm Sam. It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, my god. Ryan!" she snaps, smacking his arm. "You didn't tell us!"

"Well, he's here now and he's attempting to introduce himself," Ryan mutters. "You might try being polite."

In an instant she dismisses him, then turns a full-wattage smile on Sam. "I'm Tara, Ryan's brother's fiancee," she says, holding out her hand. "It's lovely to meet you, Sam."

"Are they here? I was so worried they'd get stuck in the traffic." A petite blonde woman bustles in and throws her arms around Ryan's neck. "My baby! You're finally home! And who's this?" she asks, turning to Sam with a smile. Then she blinks in surprise.

"Mum, this is my boyfriend, Sam Worthington," Ryan says, handing Caleb off to the toddler's mother. "Sam, this is my mum, Kris Kwanten."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Sam says, shaking her hand.

"Oh, no need to be so formal," Kris exclaims, pulling Sam into a hug. "Ryan tells us you two have been together for quite a while now. I think we're definitely at the hugging stage." She steps back and gives him a beaming smile. "Now, are you hungry, are you thirsty? Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes, and we should all sit down and get to know each other," she says, taking Sam by the hand and leading him to an overstuffed sofa in the living room. "You're not from Sydney?"

"I'm good, thanks," Sam says, taking a seat. "And no, Perth. I was actually born in England but we moved here when I was really young." 

"Ah. And do you miss Australia, when you're off working?" she asks, settling comfortably next to him. "Ryan always tells us he does, but then he disappears for half the year."

"Hey, you can't miss me until I go away," Ryan points out, reaching out and letting Caleb grasp his fingers, hanging on for dear life as he takes a few uncertain toddling steps.

Sam laughs. "Yeah, I do. All my best mates are still here, my mum, dad, my sis..." He smiles. "You have to go where the work is though."

"That makes sense," Ryan's brother says, sitting down next to Tara and then leaning across to shake Sam's hand. "I'm Mitch. It's good to meet you."

"It's good to meet you too," Sam says with a wide easy grin. "It's good to meet all of you. Ryan talks about you a lot."

Ryan smiles, but murmurs to his mother, "Where's Dad? I thought that he was going to be here for this." If his dad is deliberately avoiding this little reunion so as to get out of meeting Sam, then that doesn't bode well.

"Oh, he's off to the shops scouting out some part or other for one of his bikes," Kris assures him with a pat on his arm. "He knows he has to be here for dinner. And my youngest son is in Malaysia right now, did Ryan tell you?" Kris asks Sam. "He's a doctor and he travels the poorest parts of the world building clinics and treating people for free. Such a hero," she says, pride beaming on her face.

"He did. I think that's brilliant," Sam says.

"Brilliant," Mitch agrees, "and just a _wee_ bit intimidating. I've got one brother who's a humanitarian hero, one who's a big Hollywood star..."

"And then there's you," Kris cuts in, so smoothly that it's apparent they've had this discussion before. "The only one of my three boys to give me a grandchild." She reaches across Ryan to take Mitchell's face between her hands and kiss him soundly.

"I have a younger sister who has a baby. My parents are over the moon," Sam says, watching them and grinning at Ryan. "He's... just over a year," he adds, doing the calculations in his head.

"So long as there's someone else around picking up the slack, it's all good," Ryan says with a smile.

Sam contemplates teasing Ryan about surrogacy or something along those lines, but right now _really_ doesn't seem the right time. So instead he just laughs and then asks Tara, "Are you home with him?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Tara answers, reaching out to wipe her son's hands before he begins cruising along the couch again. "I work from home; I have a web-based jewelry store. So a couple of days a week I get a girl from the neighborhood to come in and play with him for a few hours, so I can get some designing and real work done without him trying to eat the beads and crystals and such."

"Tara made this for me," Kris says, lifting her necklace so that Sam can get a better look at the free-form golden thread chain, interspersed at uneven lengths with green stones of different sizes and shapes.

"It's beautiful," Sam says, openly admiring the work. "Do you have pieces already made or is it all on commission?"

"Oh, I have a ton of stock I've been working on for years, but I only just launched on the web about six months ago. So I'm only just beginning to get commissions, which is _so_ exciting!" Tara gushes, her eyes bright with happiness that anyone wants to talk to her about her work.

Sitting back and watching, Ryan rubs his fingers over his lips, trying to hide his smile. But it's amazing to him how smoothly Sam has turned himself from being the center of attention to being just one of the folks. "Mitch, how's the record coming?" he asks quietly, turning to his brother.

Mitch frowns. "It _was_ going brilliantly. But then fuckin' Yoko Ono got involved--"

"Mitchell, _language_!" Kris snaps.

"Pardon me, miss Karen Prince got involved, and all of a sudden my singer isn't so certain about the direction he wants the band to go in, and the rest of the band are furious and talking about dumping him, except the only reason people even know them is because of Ed's distinctive voice, not to mention that he writes nearly all the lyrics." Mitch shrugs, clearly exasperated. "It's a real clusterfuck."

" _Mitch!_ " Both women scold him this time, and Tara reaches down to cover Caleb's tiny ears.

Sam laughs. He can't help himself. "Sorry." Shit. He rubs a hand over his mouth, hiding his smile. "Maybe I could buy a couple of pieces from you," he tells Tara, going back to their conversation. "For my mum and my sister?"

"Oh my god, that would be amazing! I mean, it's all original and handmade, obviously. I'm sure we could find things to suit their styles," Tara tells Sam, completely won over already.

Ryan shoots his lover a grin, totally charmed, and then looks up, getting to his feet. "Hey, Dad," he says, reaching out to embrace a stocky man of his own height, white hair brushed liberally with gray. "Dad, I want you to meet Sam Worthington," he says, stepping back and holding a hand out to his lover. "I think Mum told you, Sam and I are dating."

Sam gets to his feet and holds out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kwanten," he says firmly, entirely uncertain of the other man's reaction.

"Eddie," the man says gruffly, shaking Sam's hand. "Good to meet you." He eases back a pace and shoves his hands in the pockets of his beat-up jeans. "Kris and me, we saw Wrath of the Titans last week. You did a good job, lots better than the first one."

"Oh, yes!" Kris exclaims. "Perseus is such a hunk!"

Ryan groans and covers his eyes with his hand.

Sam laughs. "You liked the longer hair, did you?" he asks, grinning, running a hand over the military cut he's currently sporting.

"Oh, I like it this way," Tara exclaims with a grin and a hint of a blush. Mitch hisses something unintelligible at her, and she looks aside with a shrug.

"And the Cyclops. He was very impressive," Eddie adds, and Ryan tries to smother a laugh with the back of his hand. His family. God.

"The Cyclops was brilliant," Sam agrees. "It was a lot of fun working with all the monsters."

"Mum, can we help you set the table or something?" Ryan asks, working to keep himself from snickering.

"Of course not, it's all ready," she answers, but at least is persuaded to herd them into the dining room and settle in. "Sam, Ryan said you'll eat pretty much anything, is that right?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Sam says with a wide easy grin, waiting for Ryan to tell him where he should sit.

"Okay, good, because I wasn't sure..." Kris replies, launching into a babble about food allergies and preferences, a friend who has celiac disease, and above all the concern that Sam wouldn't like her cooking. All the while she's popping back and forth from the kitchen, each time emerging with a serving dish nearly overflowing with food. One requisite green salad and a bottle of low-calorie dressing, placed pointedly in front of her husband. A large bowl of creamy mashed potatoes. A plate of broiled pork chops, another brimming with roast chicken, and finally a large platter full of fat juicy bratwurst. "What?" she asks Ryan softly, catching his raised eyebrow.

"Mum, you--" Ryan begins, getting up from his chair to go collect everyone's drinks. "You didn't--"

"You said he liked meat!" she retorts in a stage whisper, then beams a smile at Sam.

Sam chokes a little. Christ. And he hasn't even eaten anything yet. "It looks delicious," he assures her, smiling back, struggling to keep from laughing. Damn right he likes his meat. He doesn't dare look at Ryan.

"It's great, mum, thank you," Ryan tells her in passing, setting handfuls of beer bottles on the table. And he aims a swift kick under the table at Mitch, who is snorting with laughter.

Tara eyes her fiancee sidelong and busies herself with getting Caleb settled into his high chair. "So, Sam," she says brightly, turning to smile at him over her shoulder. "Do you date a lot of men?"

Holy shit. Sam glances at Ryan. And here he thought he'd be getting it from his lover's parents. "Not a lot, no," he says. "I've dated women as well." Which hopefully should answer the underlying question.

"What sports do you watch?" Eddie asks, and Ryan's probably never been so grateful in his life for his dad's blunt manner.

"Football, Aussie rules football," Sam says with a grin. "Cricket, rugby, baseball when I'm in the States. I watch surfing when the big competitions are on. It's the one thing I do myself."

"Ah, you surf?" Eddie asks, looking at Sam with interest.

"He's an Australian male, Dad. He surfs," Ryan confirms with a smile, taking his seat again between his lover and his mother. "Dad was a world champ," he explains to Sam, reaching out to snag a juicy pork chop. "He set the bar high."

"That's brilliant. When was this?" Sam asks, putting some of everything on his plate.

"1975," Eddie answers, and takes a pull of his beer. "The year before Ryan was born."

"He looked amazing in those tiny swim trunks," Kris tells Sam in a confidential tone, and both her sons groan.

"Mum, no one wants to hear that," Mitch tells her.

"At least I wore the swim trunks," Eddie points out, and gestures to Ryan. "Not like that one, and his television show." In an instant he realizes what he's said, and to whom, and he swiftly looks away from Sam.

Sam laughs. "My first job right out of acting school was this play, Judas Kiss, and my character was naked in it. I somehow missed that bit in the script so when I showed up and they told me to get my gear off, I was looking through like 'wait a minute, did I get a different script?'" He shakes his head, grinning. "I was full frontal every night for six months."

"Really? That was your first job?" Ryan asks, surprised.

"Are there pictures?" Tara cuts in.

"I just mean that I think that was really courageous," Ryan quickly says, because Mitch is visibly annoyed by the way Tara is hanging on Sam. "I don't think I could've done that on my first job."

"You were fifteen when you started in television," Kris says. "I would never have allowed it."

"I hope there aren't pictures," Sam says with a laugh. "I was only twenty-two." He grins at Ryan. "Yeah, right out of drama school. But you, you've been acting since you were fifteen?" Weirdly enough, there's all this little stuff that they haven't gotten around to sharing.

"Yeah, that's when he stole my agent from me," Mitch says, stabbing another sausage with his fork.

"I did not steal her," Ryan protests with a heavy sigh. "She was never yours." It's an argument that's been going on for twenty years.

Mitch rolls his eyes and explains to Sam, "I was at an audition. Me. _He_ wasn't even supposed to be there, and he ran in - wearing just his trunks - to complain to Mum that he was going to be late for swim training. The agent looked at him in all of his half-naked glory and it was like I suddenly didn't exist anymore."

"Mitch, come on," Ryan mutters, and Tara kisses her fiancee on the cheek in an attempt to appease him.

Kris shakes her head at her boys, long used to hearing this issue stewed over. "But Ryan doesn't have your talent with music," she tells Mitch.

"Yeah. I have absolutely no musical skills whatsoever," Sam says, slicing into a chop. "My mum and sister play the piano and my mum wanted me to learn but I couldn't sit still long enough."

"Mitch writes for the best bands in Sydney. He produces a couple of them, too," Tara says with a proud smile. "And I sing, so we're hoping that Caleb will be musical."

"He will be," Kris says with a nod and an adoring look at her grandson. Then she asks Sam, "Did you ever want to be anything other than an actor?"

"Not really," Sam confesses. "I wasn't that good in school and when I didn't know what I wanted to do after, my dad bought me a plane ticket, sent me clear to the other side of the country and told me to work my way home."

"Holy shit, seriously?" Mitch asks, ignoring his mother when she scolds him again for his language. "How did you do that? Did you make it back?"

Sam shakes his head. "I ended up in drama school, but I worked as a brick-layer, a nanny, built sewers, all sort of crazy jobs before that."

Ryan can't help the snicker. "You were a nanny? Are you fucking serious?"

Kris swats Ryan with her napkin. "Language!" she exclaims, but then has to ask, "Really, Sam?"

Sam can feel his cheeks heat up, knowing damn well he's flushed right down into his throat, maybe even his chest. "Yeah," he says, ducking his head a little. "I took care of these two little boys for about six months til their parents decided to get a divorce."

Quickly Ryan grabs for his beer and takes a large swallow. He's not sure he's seen his lover blush before, ever, and the temptation to just grab Sam and kiss him blind is damn near overwhelming. Concealed by the tablecloth, he slips his free hand down and squeezes Sam's thigh lightly, needing to touch him.

Fortunately, Tara is there with something to say, as always. "Do you think you'll win an Oscar?" she asks, wiping food from Caleb's chubby cheeks.

"Me?" Sam laughs, shaking his head, heart swelling at the feel of Ryan's hand on his thigh. "No. Not really. I don't think I'm good enough," he says bluntly. "Ryan here might though. He's got what it takes, with the right part."

"That git?" Mitch snorts, but there's a teasing gleam in his eye. "Only when they start giving out Oscars for getting your gear off."

Ryan rolls his eyes good-naturedly at his brother, but Sam's words warm him through and he feels his own face flushing now. He stands up to help clear the table, hoping he can speed things along so that he can be alone with his lover soon.

"This was really delicious," Sam tells Ryan's mum. "Did Ryan learn to cook from you?"

"No, I don't think he learned a thing from me," she says with a laugh. "I don't think he even boiled water until he was living on his own and half-starving," she adds, returning from the kitchen with an enormous chocolate cake and directing her husband to serve.

 _Fuck_ , Ryan thinks, eyeing the cake. But he dutifully fetches clean plates and forks, resigned to a long wait.

Sam gives Ryan a smile. He's actually rather enjoying the whole family deal and it's been ages since he's seen his own.

Ryan catches that smile and gives his lover a shy grin back. He's still amazed that Sam is here - willing to be here - and, honestly, that it's going so well. For that, he figures he can stick it out a while longer.

"So tell us how you two met," Tara says to Sam.

"We met in the Green Room at Comic Con last year," Sam says. "I'm a huge fan of True Blood and I'd just seen Red Hill so I went up and introduced myself."

"And I'm pretty sure I babbled like an idiot, because I was so surprised that _Sam Worthington_ was talking to me," Ryan adds with a smile, scooping up frosting on his fork.

"And just like that you started dating?" Tara asks. "Or were you friends first?"

"Ryan's never dated a boy before," Kris tells Sam, then corrects herself. "Sorry, a man."

"I'll be in the garage," Eddie announces, pushing back from the table and escaping.

Sam watches Ryan's dad go but he figures if the worst that happens is the man leaves when they start talking about how they met, they're doing well. "Um. Yeah. I haven't really either. Not seriously." Sort of ignoring Tara's question completely.

"My youngest son is gay," Kris says, and Ryan's got no doubt she's just trying to be helpful. But god, the things she doesn't know about him...

"He came out when he was eighteen," Mitch adds, pushing away his dessert plate after he scrapes up every last crumb. "But I guess you and Ryan can't do that."

"Let's change the subject," Ryan says brightly.

Sam nods. "This cake is so good," he tells Kris, making sure he gets every last bit of icing from his fork.

"It's a family recipe," she tells him with a smile. "So, how long are you boys staying?"

"Umm..." Ryan leans back in his chair, looking at Sam in question. "We're not sure, actually. Haven't decided yet." His lover still has to make up his mind about whether he wants his own mum to fly out to Sydney or not.

"I think we're going to go and see my family next," Sam says. "But we'll be back for at least a few days before we go."

"You'll let us take you all out for dinner tomorrow night?" Ryan asks his mum, trying to smooth things before she gets upset that they're not sticking around.

"Of course, love," she says. "You're in a hotel downtown?"

"Right," Ryan answers.

"Together?"

Ryan glares at his brother. "Yes, you moron."

Sam laughs. "Well, we do have separate rooms. We're just not using them," he says, figuring the comment's safe enough with Eddie gone.

"What do you say when reporters ask about your girlfriend?" Tara asks Sam, genuinely curious.

"I tell them I don't talk about my private life." Which is true, and he never has.

"Yeah, that's what Ryan's been saying for years. That's why people already think he's gay," Mitch says, then looks at Tara in exasperation when she elbows him sharply. "What?"

"People always speculate," Ryan says, giving his brother a look. "It's just part of the job. No big deal if you don't let it be one."

Sam shrugs. "I had a girlfriend for a while and there were a lot of pictures of us floating around, but I don't really give a shit-- sorry," he says to Kris, "what anyone thinks. Other than family," he quickly amends.

Kris nods, both in agreement and in acknowledgment of his apology. "And your parents -- they're okay with you dating Ryan?"

"My mum is, and my sister too," Sam adds. "My dad doesn't know yet."

"Has your mum met him yet?" Kris asks. "Or your sister?"

Ryan shakes his head.

"No, that's what this trip is about," Sam says with a smile, reaching for Ryan's hand under the tablecloth again. "Introducing each other to our families."

"When you put it like that, it sounds really serious," Tara points out with a smile, and Ryan feels himself start to flush again.

"Well, yeah," he says softly, shrugging. "I mean, it's been almost a year."

Sam nods. "I've asked Ryan to move in with me in L.A.," he says. "And he's agreed to try it for a month. See if he can stand being around me all the time." He grins.

Silence suddenly blankets the room, so heavy that Ryan can barely breathe. "Mo... move in together?" Kris asks, shock in her wide brown eyes.

Ryan gives her a smile, and he hopes it's a reassuring one. "Yeah. I mean, it makes sense. We've been racking up a ridiculous amount of frequent flyer miles going back and forth from California to Africa and all that. Now we'll finally both be working in the same city. We want to be able to spend our free time together without it having to be an elaborate arranged 'date' situation every time." He thinks he's explained it okay, hopes that he has. But his family is still just staring at him.

"So, you..." Kris swallows hard, and her voice is uncharacteristically quiet and flat when she speaks again. "You two are starting to think of this as a permanent thing."

Sam's not entirely sure what's happened. One minute it seemed like everyone _wanted_ things to be serious and now it's like they went and kicked the family puppy. "I can't speak for Ryan," he says, unable to be anything but honest. "But yeah, I am."

Ducking his head, Ryan gives his lover a sidelong look and a shy smile. 'Permanent' is certainly not a word they've ever used with each other before.

"But, Ryan." Kris searches his face, trying to understand. "You're... _not gay_. I mean, you know I'd be fine with it if you were, you know I would be! But..."

"I know, mum," Ryan says softly, and steadily meets her gaze. "But I love Sam. It's not about his gender."

"And it's the same for me," Sam says. "I love your son and he makes me incredibly happy. I can't imagine my life without him in it."

"Oh." A simple one-word response, but Kris is obviously suddenly blinking back tears, which says so much more. She takes a deep shuddering breath. "Oh. All right then."

Ryan smiles faintly, then leans over to take his mother in his arms. "Everything will be fine," he murmurs. "You'll see."

"I know," she says, smothering a sniffle in his sleeve. "Just..."

He kisses her cheek. "We're going to go now. I'll ring tomorrow so we can work out what time we should meet, yeah?" He releases her after one more hug, and gets to his feet.

Sam stands, shaking Mitch's hand and giving Tara and Caleb hugs. "It's been a pleasure meeting everyone," he tells Kris, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "We'll look forward to dinner tomorrow night."

It takes a little bit longer, but eventually they manage to make it out the front door, and without any of the care packages Kris tried to press on them to take back to the hotel. Ryan climbs behind the steering wheel of the rental car and breathes slowly, carefully. Then he looks over at his lover. "You okay?"

Sam nods. "Yeah. I'm sorry if I said anything out of turn."

"I don't think you did," Ryan says with a shake of his head. He pulls away from the curb and out into the street. "And if you did, I've already forgotten it, so we're cool," he assures Sam with a grin.

"So you didn't mind me saying I wanted us to be permanent?" Sam says, watching Ryan, wanting to make sure.

"Oh come on, she totally set you up with that one. I wouldn't hold you responsible for anything you'd said to that," Ryan answers, frowning a little as he merges with the light traffic on the highway.

Sam nods. "Good, but you know, I meant every word," he says.

The car swerves. Nearly off the road in a terrifying instant before Ryan rights it again. Then he signals and pulls over to the shoulder in a calm controlled fashion. Killing the engine, he sits and stares blindly at the dashboard.

Fuck. Maybe Sam should have just quit while he was ahead. "You okay?" he asks softly, watching Ryan.

"Yeah," Ryan answers, although it doesn't sound at all convincing. After another long moment, he draws in a breath and turns to look at Sam. "Do you really think like that?" he asks in curiosity. "I mean, in those kinds of terms? Permanence?"

"I don't know if I've ever thought about it being 'permanent'," Sam says, crooking his fingers. "It's kind of a weird word, but yeah, I've thought about wanting to share the rest of my life with you. Mostly because, as I told your family, I can't imagine my life without you now. It feels like there'd just be this huge Ryan-sized hole if you weren't there and I don't know how the hell I'd fill it."

Ryan watches him, absorbs what he's saying. And for a long moment more he just sits in silence before saying softly, "I'm so crazy about you, Sam. I just... I just want to _be_ with you. Is it bad that I haven't worked out the details?"

"Not at all," Sam says, reaching across to slide his fingers into the back of Ryan's hair. "I just want to be with you too. And I wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't for the third degree we were getting," he adds with a smile.

Grinning sheepishly, Ryan turns to rub his cheek against Sam's hand. "Do you think your mother will handle it differently?"

"I don't have a fucking clue how my mum will handle it," Sam admits with a laugh, stroking his fingers over Ryan's skin. "But I guess we're gonna find out."

"Is she coming then? You decided?"

"Actually, I thought we'd go see them. Tell my dad," Sam says, even though he's still not sure of his father's reaction.

Ryan blinks in surprise. Then he nods. "Okay." He gives Sam a little smile. "Are you going to shield me, or is it vice-versa?"

"I'll shield you," Sam promises. "If he's going to hit anyone, it'll be me."

This time the silence is even more stunned. "Sam," Ryan says softly, "I was kidding."

"Well, I'm not," Sam says, blowing out a breath as he looks away, out his window. "I really don't know how he'll react and he's always had a real temper."

Ryan's heart clutches painfully. "Sam," he whispers, and reaches out to trace his lover's cheekbone with a fingertip. "Are you sure you want to do this? I won't be upset if we don't."

"No, I want to," Sam says, even if he's not entirely convinced himself. "He's either going to accept us or he isn't, and I'd rather know now."

Biting his lip, Ryan drops his hand. "Okay," he whispers, cursing the timing. He just wants to take his lover into his arms and cuddle him, which is kind of a ridiculous notion when he stops to think about it. He's not sure Sam would approve of the idea, either. With a sigh he checks his mirror and pulls back out onto the road.

"Sorry," Sam says, blowing out another breath and straightening up in his seat. "I didn't mean to bring us down. I loved meeting your family. You got a place in mind for tomorrow night?"

"I figured we'd go to your favorite place in Sydney, wherever that happens to be," Ryan tells him with a quick grin, recalling a discussion they once had about Sam's most beloved restaurants the world over. "You haven't steered me wrong yet."

"Your family likes Mexican?" Sam says, double-checking, already figuring they can get the kitchen to do Caleb up a plain quesadilla with cheese.

"Yeah, definitely." Ryan pulls up into the traffic circle in front of their hotel, setting the emergency brake but leaving the engine running for the valet who is rushing over to them. "How worn out are you after all of that?" he asks, a grin winking just at the corners of his mouth.

"Not too. What d'you have in mind?" Sam asks.

Ryan shrugs. "I thought maybe we could fool around in that gigantic bed in your suite." Like he hasn't been dying to get his hands on his lover for hours.

Sam grins. "I'm _definitely_ not too tired for that," he says, getting out of the car and meeting Ryan on the sidewalk.

Grinning back, Ryan thanks the valet and heads into the hotel with his lover. "You know what we haven't done in a while?" he murmurs out of the corner of his mouth while they wait for the lift. "I think you really need to spank me."

Fuck. Sam's cock instantly starts to fill and he takes a quick glance around them before responding. "Hand or brush?"

Now it's Ryan's turn to shift on his feet, squirming a little where he stands. "Brush," he whispers, feeling his face heat.

Christ. Sam chews at his lower lip for a moment, wondering what's taking the fucking lift so long. "Hard?"

"Are you asking if I am?" Ryan murmurs, unable to fight a grin. "Because, yeah -- I'm standing next to you."

Sam laughs, thanking god as the doors finally open and they step in. Alone. "No, although that's good to know. I was asking how hard you want me to go on you."

The doors slide shut and Ryan swiftly backs Sam against the wall. His gaze drops to Sam's mouth, and then rises again to meet his eyes. "Hard."

"You want me to make you cry?" Sam murmurs, tilting his head towards the security camera mounted in the corner of the ceiling. They're not quite as alone as he'd like.

 _Fuck_ , Ryan thinks, catching the signal; he'd totally fucking forgotten about the cameras. It's like they're fuckin' everywhere these days. He steps back a few paces, putting his hands in his pockets. "You think you can?" It's pure bravado; they both know Sam is more than capable.

"I know it," Sam says, eyes crinkling at their corners.

"Big talk..." Ryan says, quirking an eyebrow.

"Which I'll back up as soon as I get you into our room," Sam says, which is exactly how he thinks of it, never mind Ryan's room down the hall.

Ryan just grins. God, he's half hard already, just anticipating what's coming. The lift arrives at their floor and he follows his lover out, his eyes on Sam's ass.

The moment the door's shut, Sam has Ryan backed up against it, kissing him rough enough to bruise.

With a moan Ryan clutches at Sam, his fingernails digging through the thin cotton of his lover's t-shirt. He hikes a leg around Sam's hip, rubbing against him in shameless need.

Christ. Sam wants nothing more than to turn Ryan around and fuck him right through the door. But he made a promise... "Bedroom," he grits out, pulling Ryan away from the door, his hands on his lover's ass, tugging him down the hall.

Ryan laughs and is surprised by how close he comes to saying _Yes, sir_. But he holds back on the words, pushing away from Sam only so he can start tugging off his clothes, kicking his shoes off and getting naked for his lover.

Sam kicks off his shoes, pulls his own t-shirt over his head and drops his jeans. "I'll be right there," he tells Ryan, disappearing into the bathroom just long enough to come back with a thick wooden-handled brush. He's not even sure why he's carrying the damn thing, especially with this haircut, but he got used to using it during Wrath and it's been carted along ever since. Thank god.

Left stark nude and alone, Ryan can't help but fidget a little. He tries to calm himself, though, consciously inhaling then exhaling, thinking about how this spanking thing still really embarrasses him on some level. And he tries not to wonder if maybe it turns him on so much _because_ it's embarrassing.

"You look worried," Sam says, coming back with the brush. "Having second thoughts?" he teases.

"No." Ryan's denial is instantaneous, automatic. Hell, it's a spinal reflex to meet a challenge like that, so he'd probably fucking lie even if it _were_ true... which he isn't certain it's not. Fuck. "Just wondering what was taking you so fucking long," he retorts, trying to keep his voice light, his tone matched to Sam's. "Having second thoughts?"

"Nope." Sam grins. He sits down on the bed and pats his lap.

God. This part... this part still takes a ridiculous amount of courage. Ryan just feels so _weak_ as he stretches himself out over Sam's thighs, feet and hands both flat against the floor. Well beyond awkward and into vulnerable territory.

"You have got the most gorgeous ass I've ever seen," Sam says, rubbing a hand over Ryan's cheeks, the hairbrush still beside him. "Male or female."

"And yet you want to mistreat it," Ryan murmurs, grinning even as he feels his face flush hot with the compliment.

Sam laughs. "Not mistreat it..." he says, picking up the hairbrush, the polished back run over his lover's skin. "Mark it. Make it even more beautiful."

Ryan can't quell the sudden shiver that rushes through him at the unexpectedly sensual touch. "You're the only one who's going to see all that beauty," he points out, arching his back slightly.

"Damn right I'm the only one," Sam says, swatting Ryan lightly with the brush. "You're mine," he murmurs, watching Ryan, gauging his reaction.

"Yours?" Ryan lifts his head to look back over his shoulder at Sam. "And who do you belong to?"

"Who do you think?" Sam says with a small smile.

"It had goddamn well better be me," Ryan mutters. "And it had better be equal."

"You really have any doubt about that?" Sam asks, swatting Ryan a little harder.

Ryan's body jerks at the sudden sting, and he hisses softly. "It's kind of hard to... fuck!" he exclaims when Sam strikes him again. "...When it's like this."

"Why? You don't think it takes strength to surrender?" Sam says, bringing the brush in a little harder. "Strength to make yourself vulnerable like this?"

His whole body shudders with a weird combination of shame and arousal, and Ryan winces. "To trust you," he whispers, and licks his lips.

"Exactly," Sam says, starting to spank Ryan with the brush, one strike following right on the heels of another.

Ryan cries out, tightening his hands into fists on the carpet. He's so fucking hard, his cock pressing needfully against Sam's thigh, and he lets the pain from the strikes wash over him, seeking that place - just out of reach - where he knows he'll be able to completely relax.

Sam's cock throbs as he watches Ryan's ass turn a pale pink and then deepen, his hole clenching between his cheeks with each and every blow. He strikes him harder, gauging he can take it, wanting his lover's cries, his pleasure and his pain.

Groaning wordlessly, Ryan pushes back to meet the next blow. Heat suffuses his body and he feels himself starting to melt. He rubs his cock against his lover's thigh, racing towards his climax already.

Gripping the back of Ryan's neck with his free hand, Sam hits even harder, counting off the blows in his head, the smack of wood against flesh filling the room.

Ryan cries out, instinctively struggling against the hand pinning him. But then Sam spanks him again, pain exploding through him, and it all blurs together -- he comes in a rush, desperately humping Sam's leg and losing himself in blind pleasure.

Sam groans and sets the brush down, running his hand over heated skin, fingers trailing between Ryan's cheeks.

Whimpering, Ryan wriggles on Sam's lap. And he spreads his thighs just a little wider, wantonly inviting more.

Sam sucks two fingers into his mouth and pushes one inside Ryan, fucking him slowly with it. 

Ryan hisses and his entire body jerks. He didn't prep again this afternoon before they left for his family's house, figuring he wouldn't need to. But even more than that, he's so fucking sensitive right now in the wake of his orgasm -- Sam's gentle caress is almost like streaks of pain.

"You want me to stop?" Sam asks.

A whimper, another wriggle, and Ryan tries to focus on the question. "No," he whispers hoarsely, after a long moment of thought. "Just... lube. Fuck me."

Easing his fingers free, Sam gives Ryan's ass a light swat. "Get on the bed," he orders, reaching into the nightstand for the lube.

It's not easy, fuck. But somehow Ryan gets his leaden body off Sam's lap without crashing to the floor, and then he staggers the few paces to collapse onto the bed. Face-down in the pillow, he nonetheless pushes back onto his knees, his ass in the air.

Sam slicks his cock and wipes the rest of the lube between Ryan's cheeks. He lines up, pressing just inside, waiting for Ryan's muscles to relax before pushing further.

Ryan whines, wincing. But he works to bear down and take Sam in, even over-sensitized as he is. He wants this completion, needs this resolution to their scene.

Grasping Ryan's hips, Sam buries himself in his lover, groaning roughly, his cock throbbing, so fucking close already.

"Oh, god." Ryan bows his back, pushing against Sam. "Oh, fuck. Fuck me. Sam!"

Just the sound of Ryan's voice, the need in those words... Sam drives in deep and hard, hips pumping as he hurtles towards the edge.

Summoning up strength from somewhere, Ryan manages to push up onto his forearms. But that's as far as he can make it -- he just braces himself against his lover's thrusts, gasping for breath and reveling in being used so damn hard.

"Oh, fuck, I'm gonna fill you," Sam grits out, thrusting even harder. Shoving in once, twice and a third time before he comes with a shout, his head thrown back, cock pulsing hot and thick and heavy inside his lover.

Ryan groans, clenching his muscles around Sam's prick. "Oh, Jesus. Fucking Christ," he breathes, half stunned. "Ohh god, Sam." He drops his head to the pillow once more.

Sam keeps his grip tight on Ryan's hips, making sure his lover has every last drop before he finally eases out and drops down beside him, leaning in to kiss Ryan on the mouth. "Yeah. That was incredible."

Letting himself finally collapse, Ryan rolls to his side to face his lover. "You," he whispers, his eyes a bit hazy when he blinks them open to look at Sam. "You're fuckin'..."

"Fuckin' what?" Sam prompts with a smile, pulling Ryan into his arms, holding him close.

Ryan sighs and brushes his lips over Sam's. "You blow my mind."

"Good." Sam grins. "Because you blow mine too."

[To chapter forty-six](http://archiveofourown.org/works/754666)


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